In his budget for the next fiscal year, Gov. Deval Patrick cut $1.6 million from this year’s $7.7 million for a program that allows the Department of Mental Retardation to take over services from the Department of Education when a retarded person turns 22 years old.

‘‘It not only impacts the student leaving the public school setting, but it also affects the family if there is a delay in services for months,’’ said Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. ‘‘A parent may have to quit their jobs.’’

Spilka said her efforts to increase program funding over the past few years may be reversed at a time when more and more young people need the state to provide job training, at-home assistance and residential care.

Leo Sarkissian, executive director of The ARC of Massachusetts, an advocacy group for the retarded, said: ‘‘We’re really disappointed. The governor has some great things in his budget but it really leaves some people behind.’’

Sarkissian said disabled adults who live at home and need only part-time care will suffer the most from not having clubs and programs where they can interact with their peers.

‘‘There’s some really compelling stories of people who are stuck at home, people who are going into crisis. ... They’re the ones that end up needing even more services later on,’’ he said.

According to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 608 people participated in the program in fiscal 2006-07.

Overall, Patrick’s budget increased department funding by nearly $30 million, in a $28 billion budget that focused mainly on education and public safety increases and paying for the state’s costly health care mandate.

Sarkissian said he was confident that Spilka, Rep. Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland, and other mental health champions on Beacon Hill will push for better funding in the Legislature’s budget.

Affiliated Delaware Papers

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